What type of data does qualitative research primarily focus on?

Qualitative research primarily focuses on textual or verbal data because it seeks to explore and understand social phenomena from the perspective of the participants involved. This type of research emphasizes meaning, experience, and context, often gathering data through interviews, focus groups, open-ended questionnaires, or observation.

Qualitative data is rich and complex, allowing for a deeper understanding of motivations, feelings, and social processes, which often cannot be captured through numerical data alone. This approach is fundamental in sociology as it helps researchers gain insights into the subjective experiences of individuals within various social contexts.

Other types of data, such as numerical data or experimental data, tend to focus on quantifiable aspects, which are less suited to capturing the nuances of human behavior and social interactions that qualitative methods aim to illuminate.